Accident Details
During a hot refueling operation on an offshore platform, a passenger who was assisting in the refueling was struck by the helicopter's main rotor blades. The incident occurred while the helicopter's engine was at ground idle.
Sequence of Events
The pilot positioned the helicopter on the platform with a quartering headwind from the right, a decision influenced by the location of the platform stairwell. The pilot reported that he confirmed the aircraft was stable through pedal and control inputs before allowing passengers to exit and begin fueling. Both passengers disembarked and assisted with the refueling process.
During the refueling, the helicopter began to feel light and slid to the left. It continued moving left until it came to a stop approximately 1 to 2 feet from the edge of the platform. The pilot then shut down the helicopter and noticed both passengers lying on the platform.
The surviving passenger recounted that a wind gust caused the aircraft to slide. He unhooked the ground cable, pulled the hose out, ran from the aircraft, and lay down on the deck. The other passenger, who was near the fuel pump controller, attempted to get out of the way and was struck by the main rotor.
Environmental Conditions
Another offshore platform located approximately 6 miles from the accident site reported wind conditions of 320 degrees at 33 knots.